A conventional electrical device, in which the heat generated by electronic components of a printed-circuit board is dissipated to a surrounding air in a device housing and walls of the device housing, is known in the art. With a miniaturization of the electronic components and a greater arrangement density on the printed-circuit board, the heat dissipation is increasingly causing difficulties. The heat sinks on the printed-circuit board take up insertable area and installation space in the housing and are, therefore, disadvantageous.
German Patent No. 44 33 826 describes a conventional device which brings electronic components in contact with a heat-conductor foil which bridges a space in the device between the electronic components and an outer housing wall. The heat-conductor foil is self-adhesive on both sides and bonded both to the electronic components and the housing wall. However, stresses between the printed-circuit board and the housing can cause detachment of the heat-conductor foil and impair the heat transfer to the housing wall.